Seed labels and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A seed label including a label layer removably attached to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer, and at least one seed disposed between the label layer and clear film layer. The label layer may be made of a biodegradable material. The adhesive layer may be a dry release-clean release adhesive layer. The label layer may include water-based ink printing thereon. The adhesive layer may be a water-based adhesive. The seed label may be removably affixed to a package. The seed label may be disposable in a container for germinating the seeds. A method of manufacturing a seed label, includes providing a label layer, automatically placing at least one seed on one side of the label layer, and automatically attaching the label layer to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer, with the seed disposed between the label layer and clear film layer.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

a. Field of Invention

The invention relates generally to a label and manufacturing methodthereof, and, more particularly to a plantable seed label, and amanufacturing method thereof.

b. Background Art

Flexographic printing of multi-page booklet or leaflet labels affixed toa carrier web is well known in the industry. The web or roll of finishedbooklet labels can be automatically applied by a machine to numerousproducts or product packaging. The printed material may include recipes,instructions, warnings, mail-in promotions and the like. Afterapplication thereof, the booklet can be conveniently removed from theproduct or package by a consumer without defacing the surface thereof orleaving the underlying surface obscured.

Such labels and multi-page booklets are only associated with seeds tothe extent a package of seeds may have a label or multi-page instructionbooklet printed thereon. A user typically takes the seeds out of thepackage and discards the label or instruction booklet after use. Withregard to manufacturing, such seed packages and labels may be eitherstapled together or have the label or instruction booklet adhesivelyattached to the package. As readily apparent, automated manufacturing ofthese types of seed packages can be expensive and even require manualsteps depending on the type of packaging, and type and quantity ofseeds. Moreover, with such packaging often made by thehundreds-of-thousands, elimination of one or more steps or componentscan yield significant cost, manufacturing time and waste eliminationbenefits.

It would therefore be of benefit to minimize and/or eliminate use of oneor more of such packaging and manufacturing requirements, and use of oneor more of such packaging components for seed packaging.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment, the invention provides a seed label including a labellayer removably attached to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer, andat least one seed disposed between the label layer and clear film layer.

For the seed label described above, the label layer may be made of abiodegradable material. The adhesive layer may be a dry release-cleanrelease adhesive layer. The label layer may include water-based inkprinting thereon. The adhesive layer may be a water-based adhesive. Theseed label may be removably affixed to a package. The seed label may bedisposable in a container for germinating the seeds.

The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a seed label,includes providing a label layer, automatically placing at least oneseed on one side of the label layer, and automatically attaching thelabel layer to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer, with the seeddisposed between the label layer and clear film layer.

For the method described above, the method may further includeautomatically die-cutting the label layer. The label layer may be madeof a biodegradable material. The adhesive layer may be a dryrelease-clean release adhesive layer. The label layer may includewater-based ink printing thereon. The adhesive layer may be awater-based adhesive. The method may further include removably affixingthe seed label to a package. The seed label may be disposable in acontainer for germinating the seeds.

Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may beset forth or apparent from consideration of the following detaileddescription, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood thatboth the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and intended to provide further explanationwithout limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explainthe principles of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a plantable seed label according tothe invention, with the various layers shown in an explodedconfiguration;

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of the plantable seed label of FIG. 1,shown in an assembled configuration;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary illustration of the plantable seed label of FIG.1, shown in a planted configuration;

FIG. 4 is an illustrative view of the plantable seed label of FIG. 1,shown affixed to an exemplary package; and

FIG. 5 is an exemplary view of a label machine for manufacturing theplantable seed label of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1-5 illustrate aplantable seed label according to the invention, related components, anda label machine for manufacture thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, plantable seed label 10 may generallyinclude a biodegradable paper label 12 removably attached to a leavebehind clear film layer 14 by a dry release-clean release layer 16.Paper label 12 may include printing from water-based inks, and includeinstructions, such as at 18, for removal of the paper label, and otherinstructions for using an associated product. The adhesive used for dryrelease-clean release layer 16 may also be water-based. A plurality ofseeds 20 may be disposed between biodegradable paper label 12 and filmlayer 14, and affixed only to biodegradable paper label 12 due to thedry release-clean release properties of film layer 14. The seeds may beaffixed to paper label 12 when dry release-clean release layer 16 iswet. Plantable seed label 10 may be removably affixed to a package 22,with film layer 14 being permanently affixed to the package in oneembodiment by a pressure sensitive adhesive, thus permitting removal ofbiodegradable paper label 12 and seeds 20 from film layer 14, and thuspackage 22 (see FIG. 4).

In use, a user may simply remove paper label 12 with seeds 20 affixedthereto from film layer 14, and “plant” the combination label 12 withseeds 20 positioned above label 12 as shown in FIG. 3 in pot 21.Standard potting soil may be placed on top of label 12 and seeds 20, orin the case of seeds that do not need soil or other such additions, theseeds may simply be placed in the appropriate configuration (e.g. aboveor below label 12) and water or other growing material may be added asneeded. In time, biodegradable paper label 12 may dissolve, and theseeds would generate. Further, with the use of water-based adhesives andink materials, there would be no interference with the growth of seeds20.

In order to manufacture plantable seed label 10, an exemplary labelmachine 24 is illustrated in FIG. 5. For label machine 24, a typicalroll 26 of biodegradable label stock of desired width may be placed on aspool. The roll of label stock may include a backing layer having anadhesive layer between the biodegradable label stock and the backinglayer. A roll 28 of clear film layer 14 may be placed on a spool. Thewidth for roll 26 for biodegradable paper label 12 may be smaller thanthat for roll 28 for clear film layer 14.

The first roll of biodegradable label stock may be fed through printstations, such as stations 30 of label machine 24. Once printed, thebacking layer may be separated from the biodegradable paper and filmlabel layer, at which time seeds may be sprayed (or otherwisedistributed) onto the back of the biodegradable paper label layer withinboundaries of the eventual label, as shown in FIG. 1 at location 32.Alternatively, if the dry release-clean release adhesive is applied tothe biodegradable paper label as a secondary step, the seeds may besprayed on when the adhesive is wet. With seeds sprayed on, thebiodegradable paper label layer may be married to the roll of clear filmlayer 14 at location 34, and then die cut through at location 36 throughjust the layer of the biodegradable paper label layer. The waste matrixmay be appropriately discarded at for example at location 38, and thefinished roll may then be rewound at location 40, with a liner disposedbehind clear film layer 14. Using a label-applying machine installed inthe user's production line, the finished roll may be automatically andrapidly affixed to a product or package 22. The finished roll may thusinclude a base liner (not shown), film layer 14 affixed to the baseliner with a pressure sensitive adhesive (not shown), biodegradablepaper label 12 affixed to film layer 14 with dry release-clean releaseadhesive layer 16 and seeds disposed therebetween, with the liner beingremoved for application to a package 22.

Although several embodiments of this invention have been described abovewith a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art maymake numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departingfrom the scope of this invention. All directional references (e.g.,upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward, rightward, top,bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise andcounterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid thereaders understanding of the present invention, and do not createlimitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of theinvention. Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, andthe like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediatemembers between a connection of elements and relative movement betweenelements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that twoelements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. Itis intended that all matter contained in the above description or shownin the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative onlyand not as limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made withoutdeparting from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A seed label comprising: a label layer removably attached to a clearfilm layer by an adhesive layer; and at least one seed disposed betweenthe label layer and clear film layer.
 2. A seed label according to claim1, wherein the label layer is made of a biodegradable material.
 3. Aseed label according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is a dryrelease-clean release adhesive layer.
 4. A seed label according to claim1, wherein the label layer includes water-based ink printing thereon. 5.A seed label according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer is made ofa water-based adhesive.
 6. A seed label according to claim 1, whereinthe seed label is removably affixed to a package.
 7. A seed labelaccording to claim 1, wherein the seed label is disposable in acontainer for germinating the seeds.
 8. A method of manufacturing a seedlabel, comprising: providing a label layer; automatically placing atleast one seed on one side of the label layer; and automaticallyattaching the label layer to a clear film layer by an adhesive layer,with the seed disposed between the label layer and clear film layer. 9.A method of manufacturing according to claim 8, further comprisingautomatically die-cutting the label layer.
 10. A method of manufacturingaccording to claim 8, wherein the label layer is made of a biodegradablematerial.
 11. A method of manufacturing according to claim 8, whereinthe adhesive layer is a dry release-clean release adhesive layer.
 12. Amethod of manufacturing according to claim 8, wherein the label layerincludes water-based ink printing thereon.
 13. A method of manufacturingaccording to claim 8, wherein the adhesive layer is made of awater-based adhesive.
 14. A method of manufacturing according to claim8, further comprising removably affixing the seed label to a package.15. A method of manufacturing according to claim 8, wherein the seedlabel is disposable in a container for germinating the seeds.